Any one who knows me since college knows my first baby.... Calvin. Calvin is a tabby mix that was found in a barn in Spokane, Washington. She was only 2 weeks old when I met her. Driving out a long long long road to a farm in the middle of the country we met a very nice woman who had discovered the litter in her barn. The mother had been taken away by the neighboring family when they moved and the kittens were left. I am not sure if on purpose.

.Anyway. When I first met her I was told that she was a boy which I believed without questioning. My boyfriend was not the biggest animal fan but was willing to go along. As soon as we got home the kitty started to explore and did not take long to climb into the dishwasher and get her face stuck. Although I was scared my boyfriend thought it was really funny. After he got her out she was quickly named Calvin after Calvin and Hobbs. Remember... I thought that she was a he at this point

It was not for another year when she went into heat that we finally figured it out. over the past several years she has grown and changed and now she is the biggest cat most people have ever seen and she has retired to Mexico. She is 12 years old and not one to be messed with.

Lately, ever since we were adopted by 2 kittens on the first day of school Calvin has been spending more and more time away from the house. She still comes in a few times a day but will go away for hours at a time. It is not like she is a young and agile creature anymore. She is a 20lb 12 year old cat. She is more that grandma that sits in the corner and critiques everyone.

I know that there is a gang of cats around here. It is really creepy to walk by the park and see this whole gang of cats just sitting in the park. And these are not street cats, at least not some of them. Some of them are my friends cats and like Calvin are well fed and well treated. I guess we all need our friends.